Boiler system using fuel cell

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a boiler system using a fuel cell including a boiler installed in a home, a building, or the like, a fuel cell for generating electricity and reaction heat by electrochemical reaction between a fuel and oxygen, a storage tank for recovering and storing the reaction heat generated by the fuel cell with a fluid, a room heating line buried beneath a room floor of the home, the building, or the like, a warm water line connected to supply warm water to a washroom or a kitchen of the home or the building through the boiler or the storage tank when water is supplied thereto from the outside, and a suction and exhaust integrated pipe having at least two of at least one first exhaust line, at least one first suction line of the boiler, at least one second exhaust line, and at least one second suction line of the fuel cell connected thereto to be used in common.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a boiler system using a fuel cell. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fuel cell based boiler system in which, in a structure of the fuel cell, an exhaust opening which discharges exhaust gas generated during operation of a boiler and an air suction opening which supplies oxygen required for operation of the boiler are configured for efficiency.

BACKGROUND ART

In countries having four distinct seasons or in cold countries, a boiler system, which uses kerosene, gas, coal or the like as an energy source for heating a room of a home or a building, is used.

A general boiler system has a boiler installed indoors or outdoors for receiving and burning fuel. Water is heated by heat of combustion in the boiler, and the water heated thus is circulated through a heat dissipation circulating line connected to the boiler buried in a floor of the room. While the water repeats the circulation in which the water is heated at the boiler, circulates through the heat dissipation circulating line, and heated at the boiler again, the heat is transmitted to, and heats, the room floor.

And, a warm water line is connected between the boiler and city water line which supplies city water and is connected to a washroom, a laundry room, a kitchen, and so on.

However, when the boiler system heats the water with the heat of combustion of the gas or kerosene for heating the room and using the warm water, it consumes a large amount of gas or kerosene, which not only causes emission of pollutants that are severely harmful to human bodies, but also increases an economic burden to households and the fossil fuel is gradually being exhausted.

Recently, in order to solve such a problem, a scheme has been under research in which a fuel cell is installed in a house or a building for producing and using electricity and heat a user requires personally to reduce emission of the pollutants and rates of electricity and room heating while generating the electricity and the heat at the same time.

However, since the electricity produced from the fuel cell is supplied to outside and the heat incidentally generated is recovered in a mode of the warm water and is used for the room heating and warm water supply, the boiler is used together with the fuel cell.

According to this, air suction and exhaust openings for the fuel cell and air suction and exhaust openings for the boiler are respectively required, resulting in inconvenience in view of space and installation.

Moreover, as a number of the air suction and exhaust openings increases, a risk of leakage of the exhaust gas to outside increases.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a boiler system using a fuel cell having advantages of resolving inconveniences in view of space, structure, and installation occurring for mounting air suction and exhaust openings for a fuel cell and air suction and exhaust openings for a boiler, and reducing risk of exhaust gas leakage caused by an increased number of the air suction and exhaust openings.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention devised for solving the problems is to provide a boiler system using a fuel cell, which may resolve inconveniences in view of space, structure, and installation occurring for mounting air suction and exhaust openings for a fuel cell and air suction and exhaust openings for a boiler, and may reduce risk of exhaust gas leakage caused by an increased number of the air suction and exhaust openings.

Technical Solution

To achieve the object of the present invention, a boiler system using a fuel cell includes a boiler installed in a home, a building, or the like, a fuel cell for generating electricity and reaction heat by electrochemical reaction between a fuel and oxygen, a storage tank for recovering and storing the reaction heat generated by the fuel cell with a fluid, a room heating line buried beneath a room floor of the home, the building, or the like, a warm water line connected to supply warm water to a washroom or a kitchen of the home or the building through the boiler or the storage tank when water is supplied thereto from the outside, and a suction and exhaust integrated pipe having at least two of at least one first exhaust line, at least one first suction line of the boiler, at least one second exhaust line, and at least one second suction line of the fuel cell connected thereto to be used in common.

Advantageous Effects

The boiler system using a fuel cell in accordance with the present invention may resolve inconveniences in view of space, structure, and installation of the boiler system, such as a spatial restriction occurring for mounting the first exhaust line, the first suction line of the boiler, the second exhaust line, and the second suction line of the fuel cell, as an example, problems of making a plurality of holes in inner and outer walls of the boiler room.

Since the suction lines and the exhaust lines of the boiler and the fuel cell may be fabricated as a single suction and exhaust integrated pipe having a multiple pipe member or a partition wall, a complex pipe configuration may be simplified and leakage from the pipes may be reduced.

The damper means or the electronic valve means provided to a crossing point of suction and exhaust lines of the boiler and the fuel cell may prevent a reverse flow in view of structure.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a boiler system using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 to FIG. 4 illustrate a perspective view, another perspective view, and a cross-sectional view of a suction and exhaust integrated pipe in a boiler system using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

FIG. 5 to FIG. 13 illustrate schematic views showing variations of a boiler system using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

BEST MODE

In order to achieve the objects of the present invention, a boiler system using a fuel cell is provided, in which a fuel cell and a boiler are installed in a home or a building for heating a fluid with reaction heat from the fuel cell and combustion heat from the boiler to heat a room as the fluid heated thus circulates beneath a floor of the room of the home or the building, and heating city water with the heat from the fuel cell and the combustion heat from the boiler to supply warm water to a washroom or kitchen of the home or the building.

Mode for Invention

A boiler system using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings, in detail.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a boiler system using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a boiler 110 installed in a home, a building, or the like, a fuel cell 130 for generating electricity and reaction heat by electrochemical reaction between fuel and oxygen, a storage tank 150 for recovering and storing the reaction heat generated by the fuel cell 130 with a fluid, a room heating line 170 buried beneath a room floor of the home or the building, a warm water line 180 connected to supply warm water to a washroom or a kitchen of the home or the building through the boiler 110 or the storage tank 150 when water is supplied thereto from the outside, and a suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 for supplying oxygen to cause combustion or the electrochemical reaction at the boiler 110 or the fuel cell 130 and discharging gas produced from the boiler 110 and a combustion or cathodic air electrode of the fuel cell 130.

In general, there may be different kinds of boilers 110 depending on heat sources, modes of mounting, mounting places, suction/exhaust systems, water supply systems, heat dissipation systems, structures of heat exchanger, as so on.

The boiler 110 in the boiler system100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a fuel injection unit 111 a for injecting the fuel being supplied thereto from a first fuel supply line 111, a burner 113 for mixing the fuel injected by the fuel injection unit 111 a with air, and a combustion chamber 115 for causing combustion of mixed gas of the fuel and the air with an igniter if the mixed gas is injected through a flame hole 113 a in the burner 113.

The boiler 110 may have forced flow generating means 116, such as a blower, appropriately designed as an array for forcibly drawing room air or outdoor air through a first suction line 118, and discharging the exhaust gas outside of the room through a first exhaust line 117 by a negative pressure.

It may also be configured such that a heat source of the fluid in the storage tank 150 is supplied to the room heating line 170 directly or through the boiler 110.

Further, the room heating line 170 may be connected to the storage tank 150 for introducing the fluid to the storage tank 150 after passing through the room heating line 170.

The fuel cell 130 has the fuel, such as hydrogen, and the air containing the oxygen continuously supplied thereto for generating electrical energy and heat as a byproduct by an electrochemical reaction between the hydrogen and the oxygen.

The fuel cell 130 may be an MCFC (Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell) or an SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) operative at a high temperature of over 600° C., or a PAFC (Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell) and a PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells) operative at a comparatively low temperature of below 200° C.

The fuel cell 130 may include a stack unit 131 having a fuel electrode 131 a and an air electrode 131 b for generating electric energy and heat which is a byproduct of an electrochemical reaction between reformed gas or hydrogen being supplied to the fuel electrode 131 a and oxygen being supplied to the air electrode 131 b, a reforming unit 133 for receiving the fuel, reforming the fuel into the hydrogen, and supplying the hydrogen to a fuel electrode 131 a side of the stack unit 131, a second fuel supply line 134 for supplying the fuel to the reforming unit 133, a second suction line 135 for supplying air to the reforming unit 133 and the air electrode 131 b in the stack unit 131, a power conversion unit 137 for converting the electrical energy generated at the stack unit 131 to commercial power, and a second exhaust line 139 for discharging the gas from the reforming unit 133 and the stack unit 131 to the outside.

The fuel may be LNG, LPG, a hydrocarbon group fuel, or hydrogen.

In the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first exhaust line 117 and the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110, and the second exhaust line 139 and the second suction line 135 of the fuel cell 130, may be made to be in communication with the atmosphere through a suction and exhaust integrated opening 190 a via the suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190.

According to this, inconveniences in view of space, structure, and installation of the boiler system 100, such as a spatial restriction occurring for mounting the first exhaust line 117 and the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110, and the second exhaust line 139 and the second suction line 135 of the fuel cell 130, as an example, problems of making a plurality of holes in inner and outer walls of the boiler room may be resolved.

The suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 in the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2C.

FIG. 2 to FIG. 4 illustrate a perspective view, another perspective view, and a cross-sectional view of a suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 in a boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 in the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be constructed as a quadruple pipe in which a first pipe member 191, a second pipe member 192, a third pipe member 193, and a fourth pipe member 194 are arranged to be overlapped and centered on a concentric axis respectively connected to the first exhaust line 117 and the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110, and the second exhaust line 139 and the second suction line 135 of the fuel cell 130.

The suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 in the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention may use the first exhaust line 117 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 139 of the fuel cell 130 as the first pipe member 191 in common, and the first suction line 118 and the second suction line 135 of the fuel cell 130 as the second pipe member 192 in common. In this case, the first pipe member 191 and the second pipe member 192 may be constructed as a double pipe arranged to be overlapped and centered on a concentric axis.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the second suction line 135 and the second exhaust line 139 of the fuel cell 130 may be arranged in a mode of branches within the first pipe member 191.

The second suction line 135 and the second exhaust line 139 of the fuel cell 130 may be respectively connected to the first pipe member 191 and the second pipe member 192 which are respectively connected to the first exhaust line 117 and the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110 in a mode of a plurality of branch pipes.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 in the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it not only has at least two multiple pipes or branch pipes, but also has a partition wall 191 a formed within the first pipe member 191 to divide a cross-sectional area of the first pipe member 191 into a suction area A of the boiler 110 and the fuel cell 130 and an exhaust area B of the boiler 110 and the fuel cell 130 according to an exhaust rate and a suction rate.

Accordingly, since the suction lines and the exhaust lines of the boiler 110 and the fuel cell 130 may be fabricated as the single suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190, a complex pipe configuration may be simplified and leakage from the pipes may be reduced.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 13, variations of the boiler system using a fuel cell in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 5 to FIG. 13 illustrate schematic views showing variations of a boiler system using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 5, a suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 in the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention may have a first pipe member 191 connected to a suction and exhaust integrated opening 190 a partitioned with a partition wall 191 a for introducing outdoor air introduced thereto to the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second suction line 135 of the fuel cell 130, and discharging gas being discharged through the first exhaust line 117 and the second exhaust line 139 of the fuel cell 130 through the integrated pipe opening 190 a via the first pipe member 191.

That is, the suction openings and the exhaust openings of the boiler 110 and the fuel cell 130 are integrated into one to use the same in common.

As shown in FIG. 6, a suction integrated pipe 191 in the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that the suction integrated pipe 191 introduces outdoor air introduced thereto through a first pipe member 191 connected to one suction integrated opening 190 a to the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second suction line 135 of the fuel cell 130, and may allow exhaust gas being discharged through the first exhaust line 117 and the second exhaust line 139 of the fuel cell 130 through another first pipe member 191 via another suction and exhaust integrated opening 191 a.

That is, suction openings and exhaust openings of the boiler 110 and the fuel cell 130 may be used in common, respectively.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, in order to prevent a reverse flow from taking place by controlling a suction flow between the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second suction line 135 of the fuel cell 130 and an exhaust flow between the first exhaust line 117 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 139 of the fuel cell 130, which use the first pipe member 191 in common, a damper means or electronic control means 160, such as a solenoid valve or the like, may be used at a crossing point of the two lines.

As shown in FIG. 8, the suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 in the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be a double pipe connected to a suction and exhaust integrated opening 190 a.

The double pipe has a first pipe member 191 having the first exhaust line 117 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 135 of the fuel cell 130 made to be in communication therewith such that the boiler 110 and the fuel cell 130 use the first pipe member 191 as an exhaust line in common, and a second pipe member 192 around the first pipe member 191 partitioned with a partition wall 192 a having the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second suction line 139 of the fuel cell 130 made to be in communication therewith such that suction gases of the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second suction line 139 of the fuel cell 130 are prevented from mixing for maintaining respective characteristics of the suction gases.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, in order to prevent a reverse flow from taking place by controlling an exhaust flow between the first exhaust line 117 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 139 of the fuel cell 130, which use the first pipe member 191 in common, damper means or electronic control means 160, such as a solenoid valve or the like, may be used at a crossing point of the two lines.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 in the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be a double pipe connected to a suction and exhaust integrated opening 190 a having partition walls formed at inner and outer pipe members.

Since the double pipe has the first pipe member 191 partitioned with the partition wall 191 a with the first exhaust line 117 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 139 of the fuel cell 130 made to be in communication therewith such that the boiler 110 and the fuel cell 130 use the first pipe member 191 as an exhaust line in common by dividing an area of the first pipe member 191, preventing exhaust gases of the first exhaust line 117 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 139 of the fuel cell 130 from mixing, characteristics of the exhaust gases may be maintained.

Also, by partitioning the second pipe member 192 around the first pipe member 191 with the partition wall 192 a and making the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second suction line 135 of the fuel cell 130 to be in communication therewith, preventing the suction gases of the first suction line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second suction line 135 of the fuel cell 130 from mixing, characteristics of the suction gases may be maintained.

As shown in FIG. 11, the suction and exhaust integrated pipe 190 in the boiler system 100 using a fuel cell in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be a triple pipe connected to a suction and exhaust integrated opening 190 a.

The triple pipe may have the first pipe member 191 to be in communication with the first exhaust line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 135 of the fuel cell 130 such that the boiler 110 and the fuel cell 130 use the first pipe member 191 as an exhaust line in common, and the second pipe member 192 and the third pipe member 193 which surround the first pipe member 191 in succession to be in communication with the second suction line 139 of the fuel cell 130 and the first suction line 117 of the boiler 110 respectively, preventing suction gases of the first suction line 117 of the boiler 110 and the second suction line 139 of the fuel cell 130 from mixing, thereby enabling to maintain characteristics of the suction gases, respectively.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 12, though it has a triple pipe structure, by partitioning the first pipe member 191 with the partition wall 191 a into two areas, and making the first exhaust line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 135 of the fuel cell 130 to be in communication therewith such that the boiler 110 and the fuel cell 130 use the first pipe member 191 as an exhaust line in common by dividing an area of the first pipe member 191, preventing the exhaust gases of the first exhaust line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 135 of the fuel cell 130 from mixing, characteristics of the exhaust gases may be maintained, respectively.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 13, in order to prevent a reverse flow from taking place by controlling an exhaust flow between the first exhaust line 118 of the boiler 110 and the second exhaust line 135 of the fuel cell 130 which use the first pipe member 191 in common, a damper means or electronic control means 160, such as solenoid valve, may be used at a crossing point of the two lines. 

1. A boiler system using a fuel cell comprising: a boiler installed in a home, a building, or the like; a fuel cell for generating electricity and reaction heat by electrochemical reaction between a fuel and oxygen; a storage tank for recovering and storing the reaction heat generated by the fuel cell with a fluid; a room heating line buried beneath a room floor of the home, the building, or the like; a warm water line connected to supply warm water to a washroom or a kitchen of the home or the building through the boiler or the storage tank when water is supplied thereto from the outside; and a suction and exhaust integrated pipe having at least two of at least one first exhaust line, at least one first suction line of the boiler, at least one second exhaust line, and at least one second suction line of the fuel cell connected thereto to be used in common.
 2. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the second suction line has a stack unit which generates electrical energy and heat by electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen and a reforming unit for receiving the fuel and supplying reformed hydrogen to the stack unit connected thereto.
 3. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the suction and exhaust integrated pipe is a multiple pipe including at least two pipe members arranged centered on a concentric axis.
 4. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 3, wherein the at least two pipe members includes a partition wall for dividing a cross-sectional area thereof into at least two areas.
 5. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the suction and exhaust integrated pipe is constructed of a first pipe member used by the first suction line of the boiler and the second suction line of the fuel cell in common, and another first pipe member used by the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell in common.
 6. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 5, further comprising damper means or electronic valve means used at each of crossing points of the first suction line of the boiler and the second suction line of the fuel cell and the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell.
 7. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the suction and exhaust integrated pipe is a double pipe having a suction and exhaust integrated opening, wherein the double pipe has a first pipe member made to be in communication with the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell for the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell to use the first pipe member in common, and a second pipe member which surrounds the first pipe member made and divided with a partition wall to be in communication with the first suction line of the boiler and the second suction line of the fuel cell for the first suction line of the boiler and the second suction line of the fuel cell to use the second pipe member, respectively.
 8. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 7, further comprising a damper means or an electronic valve means provided at a crossing point of the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell which use the first pipe member in common.
 9. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the suction and exhaust integrated pipe is a double pipe having a suction and exhaust integrated opening with partition walls formed on inner and outer pipe members, and wherein the double pipe has the first pipe member divided with a partition wall into a first area and a second area to be in communication with the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell, respectively, and the second pipe member which surrounds the first pipe member is also divided with a partition wall into a third area and a fourth area to be in communication with the first suction line of the boiler and the second suction line of the fuel cell, respectively.
 10. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the suction and exhaust integrated pipe is a triple pipe having a suction and exhaust integrated opening, wherein the triple pipe has the first pipe member in communication with the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell for the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell use the first pipe member in common, and the second pipe member and the third pipe member which surround the first pipe member in succession to be in communication with the second suction line of the fuel cell and the first suction line of the boiler, respectively.
 11. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 10, further comprising a partition wall mounted to the first pipe member to divide a cross-sectional area of the first pipe member into two areas for making the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell to be in communication therewith, respectively.
 12. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 10, further comprising a damper means or an electronic valve means provided at a crossing point of the first exhaust line of the boiler and the second exhaust line of the fuel cell which use the first pipe member in common.
 13. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 2, wherein the suction and exhaust integrated pipe is a multiple pipe including at least two pipe members arranged centered on a concentric axis.
 14. The boiler system using a fuel cell of claim 13, wherein the at least two pipe members includes a partition wall for dividing a cross-sectional area thereof into at least two areas. 